1 Still Amazing!
On a glorious morning in the 14th Century, a beautiful baby girl was born unto King Stefan (voiced by Taylor Holmes) and his Queen, and they bestowed upon her the name Aurora, for the sunlight she had brought into their lives. A celebration was ordered and proclaimed throughout the land, bringing forth well-wishers from far and near, including King Hubert (Bill Thompson) and his son Phillip (Bill Shirley), to whom Aurora (Mary Costa) would be betrothed.
Blessing the newborn babe, the kingdom's three good fairies (Verna Felton, Barbara Jo Allen, and Barbara Luddy) bestowed upon her the gifts of beauty and song. Yet before the third gift could be given, the ceremony was interrupted by the arrival of the kingdom's exiled, evil fairy, Maleficent (Eleanor Audley). Angered that she had been left off the guest list, Maleficent dramatically unveiled her gift to the child, sealing Aurora's fate, ensuring her death by pinprick at the tender age of 16. The royal family distraught, Merryweather-the third good fairy-bequeaths her gift to the baby. While powerless to undo Maleficent's curse, she is able to modify it such that Aurora would not die but merely fall into a deep sleep, one which could only be ended by true love's kiss. To further ensure Aurora's safety, Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather secret the babe away deep into the woods, where she will be raised as a foundling peasant girl, known as Briar Rose, until her 16th birthday, when Maleficent's curse is made null and void.
Yet the best laid plans of fairies and men do often go astray, allowing Maleficent access to the princess and fulfilling her destiny. Not stopping there, the evil one kidnaps Prince Phillip and locks him away in her dungeon, thereby guaranteeing Aurora will never awaken. Now it is up to the good fairies to rescue Phillip and help him break the curse before the kingdom is plunged into eternal darkness and sorrow.
2 Kids don't watch this anymore.....
The fact is that a movie like this is not watched by most kids anymore, they are much more interested in seeing a cartoon where someone's head get's blown off and there is gore flying all over the place...That aside for the moment, this is strictly Disney's take on the story and as such it is slow,tedious, and boring. With a lot of mush music and way over the top soap opera dialoge. IT'S JUST LIKE DAYTIME TV.
3 Beauty Asleep
This is one of my favorite Disney movies of all time. I've just liked it ever since I was really little and am very happy that I have it on DVD.
It's the story of Princess Auora and the three faries. I actually likeMalificent. I think it's because of her colors. There are also some fun extra features for kids like an interactive coloring book and a game to try
and save Princess Auora.
4 Well...not as bad as Snow White, but still...
This movie ranks with the films about the floaty princess who has to get rescued by a handsome prince she's only met once and, of course, fell madly in love with just because he was cute. Blah, blah, blah. Still, I'll give this movie three stars due to the good comedy the three good fairies provided, and the totally awesome villain--one of the best Disney's every created.
Like Snow White, young girls will like this movie. If you're older, then you'll probably start yawning after a little while. Still, I can understand why a lot of people like it. It's colorful, and has a good amount of adventure. The music's not all that great, and nobody really learns anything...but oh well. It's a fairy tale. Go figure. An enjoyable thing for young kids to watch or to just pass the time if there's nothing else to do, but it's not amoung my top favorite Disney films.
5 Gently my pets
Clyde Geronimi directs this classic Disney animated film. His credits include the 1967 version of The Amazing Spider-Man, the 1964 Mr. Magoo, as well as the 1961 Walt Disney's 101 Dalmatians, the 1955 Lady and the Tramp, the 1950 Cinderella, the 1951 Alice in Wonderland, and the 1953 Peter Pan. Geronimi also worked on the original Tugboat Mickey.
Mary Costa performs the voice of Sleeping Beauty. She may be better known for her role in the 1957 film, The Big Caper. However, she only acted in four movies ever, and was only a cartoon voice in Sleeping Beauty.
Bill Shirley played the voice of Prince Phillip. Shirley also had a singing part in "My Fair Lady", as well as staring in Abbott and Costello Meet Captain Kidd, and was Stephen Foster in I Dream of Jeannie.
Eleanor Audley played the voice of Maleficent, the evil witch. She was also the voice of Lady Tremaine in Disney's Cinderella. Verna Felton was the voice of one of the good fairies (Flora). She is better known for her voice in The Flintstones as Pearl Slaghoople, Vilma's Mom. She was also the voice of the Queen of Hearts in Alice in Wonderland; she was also one of the snob Elephant Matriarch in Dumbo.
Barbara Luddy played the voice of another good fairy (Merryweather). She was better known for her voice as Lady, in Lady in the Tramp. She was also the voice of Kanga in Winnie the Pooh, as well as Mother Rabbit in Disney's Robin Hood. Barbara Jo Allen was the final voice of the good fairies (Fauna). Allen has made almost fifty movies, however, most are from the forties, and I am not too familiar with them.
Sleepy Beauty is an underrated Disney Classic. Though it is known as being very good, I do not believe it is placed in the same category as Snow White, Bambi, Lady and the Tramp, The Jungle Book, or the Lion King. Probably it is not as good as the above-mentioned movies, it may deserve to be placed in the second tier of Disney films with Robin Hood, The Little Mermaid, 101 Dalmatians, and Pinocchio. Sleeping Beauty is still a very, very good movie. If the above Disney Films deserve an A+, then Sleeping Beauty deserves an A.
Grade: A
6 I agree with "Summersweet"...
But I do give it more credit because of the beautiful backgrounds and classic animation.
7 My Favorite Fairy Tale
I was born in January of 1956. This film was released in 1959. This is my first recollection of a film. My cousin, who was 15 years older than I, took me to the film with my sister who was nine.
It maybe nostalgia, but this film has a place in my heart. The DVD has spectacular color and graphic design, Cinderella- Snow White does not compare with quality or the artistic backgrounds, foregrounds that make this a classic. Is this classic Disney? How can anyone deny this? This is the best in my opinion.
Jim
8 Platinum Edition?
I feel like an idiot, but is THIS going to be considered the "Platinum Edition" for this movie? I realize they're only doing the 10 top grossing, but that 4 more were added. I just ordered this today, I can't wait to watch it with my daughter. I LOVED this movie growing up, and Dumbo, Pinocchio, Cinderella, Snow White, Babmbi, ie- the TRUE CLASSICS! Lets also not forget this is the LAST movie Walt himself worked on. The end of the era where movies were made only with the thought of the movie, and not all the merchandise you can get kids to beg for.
I don't think there's much more they could add to this. I can't wait to try to find Beauty and the Beast: PE and get Snow White: PE when finances allow. :)
9 The BEST of Disney Animation Masterpieces
Surely I'm biased - as a youg kid, I dreamed of becoming a Disney animator (sadly unfulfilled) - but I believe 'Sleeping Beauty' has the most incredible art and music of all of Disney's efforts to date. I rent other Disney DVDs from local library for my kids, but this one I bought. Unlike the 'Lion King' special edition - which I found not-so-special - this one is truly well-done and worth a purchase.
Positives:
- High-quality digital restoration resulted in eye-popping color and details presented in 70mm widescreen format.
- Tchaikovsky's music is timeless in its power to mesmerize, and matched up perfectly with synchronized masterful animation.
- The supplemental second disc is unusually excellent both in breadth of content and the quality of presentation.
- There's a restrained, formal quality to 'Sleeping Beauty', akin to classical ballet, which provides a such pleasant contrast to the increasingly shrill Disney offerings of the late Eisner era.
- The painstakingly hand-drawn background and characters are simply awe-inspiring in their unique artistry.
- The sheer grace and elegance of the characters, as well as the consummate artistic skills of their rendering have NOT been matched by any other Disney films, generally as good as they are. (I was disappointed by the comparatively amateurish art of 'Little Mermaid' and 'Beauty and the Beast'. It was not until 'Finding Nemo' that artistic animation again made my jaw drop and stay there throughout the film.)
Negatives:
- This work was done almost half century ago, and the age does show in this time of computerized animation. The most noticeable flaw is when Malicifent first appears literally with a bang, yet the characters in the background remain absolutely still. This detracts from the power of this moment; rationality dictates that such an apparition would have caused shock and panic among the crowd. Contrast this with the animated crowd scenes in 'Hunchback of Notre Dame', or the constantly dynamic background of 'Bug's Life', in which every blade of grass sways with the wind.
- The classical elegance of the story and characters means certain dignity and restraint (contrast this with the gross-out jokes of 'Lion King' and endless wisecracking of 'Aladdin'). In my opinion, this is a major plus, since this would make 'Sleeping Beauty' a true classic (like the best works of DaVinci and Michaelangelo) that will survive the test of time for decades to come. However, in today's world where attention-deficit rules, its lack of cloying cuteness and 'Fear Factor' gross-outs may not win this film a general popularity contest.
10 The Best of Disney
SLEEPING BEAUTY is a beautifully made film. It takes the grace of the ballet and shows it in a form that makes it easy to watch, easy to listen to and easy to own. This is the story of the Princess Aurora, cursed by an evil witch upon her first royal event. In an effort to save the Princess from her fate, the three good fairies (also excellently done as comic relief) raise her deep in the forest without the use of magic to help them out. Upon her 16th birthday, Aurora is told the truth of her past and the tale takes off from there. While I'm sure that most of you have already seen this wonderful film, I will not spoil any more of the details of the movie.
The singing in this is truly amazing. The girl voicing Aurora is a beautiful, clear soprano, hitting notes that amazed me as a child and still amaze me today. Prince Phillip is all a prince should be. Malificient is truly the most wicked villan ever put on a Disney screen. She still gives me some chills into my adulthood.
I highly recommend SLEEPING BEAUTY, not just for your children, but for you as well.
11 A highlight in Disney's canon
I always used to call Sleeping Beauty an updated re-telling of Snow White and the Seven Dwarves. Princess Aurora has a magnificent voice who dreams of her prince and who has many animal friends. Prince overhears her and joins in but she gets frightened and runs off. Instead of 7 distinct dwarves, you get a shortened 3 distinct fairies. Maleficent turns into a dragon while the Queen turns into an old hag. Aurora and Snow White are put into a coma by doing something that the villain has made them do(bite the poisoned apple/prick the needle). But I greatly prefer this and even without the Snow White comparison, I still call it a classic.
On Aurora's birth, the entire townsfolk descends on the castle to see. 3 fairies: Flora, Fauna and Merryweather give their gifts beauty and song. But before Merryweather gives hers, Maleficent shows up and is upset she wasn't invited. In response, she casts a spell that Aurora will prick her finger on a needle before sundown on her 16th birthday and die. Merryweather than casts a spell that instead of death, it's more of a coma that can be broken if she receives true love's first kiss.
Aurora, re-named Briar Rose, is now living with the 3 fairies in a cottage in the forest. While out, she encounters Prince Phillip and says for him to meet her that night. However, she gets upset and runs off. They re-enter the castle but Maleficent puts her in a trance that makes her prick her finger and on top of that, Phillip is captured. The fairies break in her castle where Phillip must get to the castle while battling Maleficent's spells, including herself.
Now I don't know about you, but when Maleficent turns into a dragon, it's still seems frightening even after all these years. "Now you must deal with me O Prince, and all the powers of HELL!" and she rises high in the air to become a dragon is still probably the better final battles Disney has done, which I would include with the one in Lion King and Little Mermaid.
It's also a really beautiful film that was shot for the first time in widescreen which required more detailed drawings and a very pristine transfer. 1 of 2 Disney films I'm recommending one after another(the other, ironically being Snow White).
12 Good!
Sleeping Beauty is a good movie and based on one of my favorite fairy tales but even though I enjoyed watching it I didn't enjoy it as much as other Disney movies so I only watched it once, I used to have this video but since I only watched it once and I hadn't watched it in a long time and it was just sitting in a drawer I gave it to a lady I know who has young grandchildren and they are enjoying the video so it's getting good use which is nice to know. It's still a good movie though and if you like Disney movies and fairy tales you will probably like it.
13 I Love This Movie!
Sleeping Beauty is not only my Disney favorite, but also my favorite movie of all time. The backrounds have a modern geometric sense to them, while still creating a gothic mood. Sleeping Beauty is differnt from other Disney fairy tales for a few reasons. Firstly, the music is by Tchaikovsky-- its very elgent and flowing. Secondly, in other Disney fairy tales love is only used to show how the characters' lives went from bad to good-- but in Sleeping Beauty, the power of true love is really a big part of the story. Sleeping Beauty is proabably teh most romantic Disney film. The film is elegant-- just loook at Malificent. Her appearance is demonic, but she has a flowing movement to her--she's graceful. Malificent personifies evil better than later characters like Ursala from the Little Mermaid or Gastone from Beauty and the Beast. My favorite scene is when Briar Rose meets Prince Philip in the woods. The forest background was extremely well done. The movie's simple humor is provided by the two kings and the three fairies. If ever I doubt the human race, I watch this movie and my faith is restored. This is a true masterpiece (the only real problem with this film is that Briar Rose's hair is sort of green.... You'll never find another film so beautiful as Sleeping Beauty-- buy it while you can!
14 THE STAR FOR MUSIC ONLY...
This - in thirty year retrospect - is a dismally poor production.
The script, so to speak, is laughable and way below Disney's norm.
The artwork is terribly disappointing. Worse than CGI graphics today. Everything two-dimensional and static - like watching bad reruns of Clutch Cargo cartoons. Even the backgrounds lack depth and interest.
Yes, there are colorful displays of fireworks, at times. An easy feat to accomplish.
Overall - avoid this at all cost in favor his earlier works - any of them. This production shames Disney from beginning to end - and the 'extras' are a joke.
15 A disney masterpiece!
This beloved 1959 animated classic from Walt Disney is about a beautiful blonde princess named "Aurora" who was born with a prophesized curse that says whenever she reaches sixteen, she will prick her finger on a spinning wheel by the evil meleficient and die but when 3 good fairies give her special gifts including when she will not die from the trick of the evil witch but just in sleep and that when true love's first kiss comes to break the spell.
An amazing disney movie of excellence with great animation, excellent music score, terrific songs, a hot disney babe, action, monsters, a prince, true love, an awesome battle scene and it's the first ever disney movie shot in widescreen that makes this a must see movie.
The DVD is loaded with great extras such as Trailers, Art galleries, Behind the scenes, and more with great picture and great sound.
16 Enchanting
Disney's masterpiece Sleeping Beauty (1959) is one of my favorite Disney films because it's not only gorgeously animated, but the music, characters and even the look itself is PERFECT for the movie! Plus I always thought Aurora was by far the most beautiful female character by Disney animators, hehe.
17 A Children's Classic
Blessedly devoid of adult humor and sexual inuendo, Sleeping Beauty pits good against evil, and good wins. Intricate background scenery, silly fairies, and wonderful singing highlight this classic fairy tale. Is it a realistic picture of life as a medieval princess? Of course not. It's not supposed to be.
18 Unforgettable, timeless classic
One of my favorite movies (animated or nonanimated). THere is a quality and rich story that seems lacking in so many of todays movies (Disney movies included). The music just lifts you up and carries you into the Princess's world, and the ending leaves you with a pleasant sigh without being totally predictable. If you liked the Little Mermaid or Beauty and the Beast, you'll love this.
19 A delightful animated masterpiece!!!!
Sleeping Beauty is one of the most ambitious animated films ever made. It's a gorgeous, elegant, and absolutely amazing landmark in animation; a film so charming, memorable, and beautiful that it has been hailed as the most incomparable film in the animated genre, and with good reason. Detailed backgrounds, glorious colors, outstanding visuals and beautiful music are all contributing factors to the grandeur pageantry that "Sleeping Beauty" enthralls on its audience.
Up until the last few years, "Sleeping Beauty" was actually considered one of the few Disney 'failures.' That means, a poor box-office success. But that was 1959. Since then, the film, like "Pinocchio" and "Fantasia," has returned to theaters many times and made way on video for new generations to enjoy, earning large estimates of money and critical praise, not to mention being the most requested Disney film on video after "Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs" and "The Lion King."
It was finally re-released in a fantastic Special Edition DVD, and looking back, I can't believe this was once considered a failure. As if! This is not just a timeless tale of good and evil; the plot is elegantly portrayed with rich textures and stunning animation.
Sleeping Beauty is one of Disney's best animated films, EVER, and a must-own DVD for any collection. If only Disney still made films like this. I don't think we could be so lucky. Don't delay, get this before time runs out!!!
20 Beautiful Artistry and Animation
Sleeping Beauty is Disney's retelling of the fairy tale of the same name. This DVD release of Disney's 75 minute movie features options to view it in either the original 2.35:1 widescreen aspect ratio, or in a "pan and scan" 1.33:1 aspect ratio version that captures most of the action while using the full height of a standard television screen. A second DVD includes supplemental material on the history and making of the film.
The story itself departs somewhat from the traditional fairy tale version, with a story line that provides a little more scope for character exposition and interaction. The result still retains a fairy tale feel, and the plot remains simpler than most of Disney's other animated features.
The biggest strengths of the movie are in its wonderful animation, artwork, and music.
The animation is perhaps the best of any Disney movie. The animators were exceptionally good at using facial expressions to help tell the story - Maleficent's face perfectly expresses her smug satisfaction when something goes her way, and Princess Aurora's expression when she first meets Prince Phillip by surprise perfectly communicates the various emotions that are running through her. The animation of the action is also wonderful, with some of the best moments being Aurora's dancing and Phillip's battle with the dragon.
The background artwork is terrific. Each background is really a high quality painting, full of scene specific detail and yet all coordinating to give the picture overall artistic unity and medieval feel. And yet, all this beautiful background coordinates with the characters in a way that avoids overpowering them.
Unlike some of Disney's other animated classics, this film did not use original music, but instead wisely went with Tchaikovsky's Sleeping Beauty ballet music. Tchaikovsky's beautiful classic music perfectly complements the beautiful, artistic nature of everything else in the film.
All the attention to artistry and detail made the film too expensive to be a commercial success in 1959, but it also made the film a timeless classic that can continue to be enjoyed today and far into the future. Get it now, or you may have to wait seven years for Disney's next rerelease.
21 One of Disney's Best Acheivements!!
One of Disney's best animated films has to be Sleeping Beauty. The story of Princess Aurora who is taken away from the kingdom by the three good fairies in order to protect her from the curse of the wicked fairy Maleficent. The film looks just like a medieval tapestry and the scenery is amazing. Disney's Sleeping Beauty has some of the best animation ever seen on film.
It is wonderful that Disney has been releasing these restored versions on DVD of their classic films and adding some wonderful documentaries and behind the scenes.
Sleeping Beauty contains some of the most widely recognized Disney characters: Princess Aurora(Briar Rose), The three good fairies Fauna, Flora and Merryweather and the most notoriously diabolical villain Maleficent.
While being an animated film, that doesn't make it any less thrilling, suspensful or exciting. I recommend seeing this movie just to see Maleficent. She appears in flames at Aurora's christening and she goes out with a bang as a ferocious fire breathing dragon. This movie is truly an epic in every sense of the word: from the wicked fairy's curse, to the princess hiding out in a cottage with the three good fairies, to the princess meeting her fate atop the castle to Prince philip slaying the dragon and running up the stairs to find the Sleeping Beauty. This is one film that both adult and child can truly enjoy.
The Perfect Disney Film!!!!
22 This DVD Special Edition is Magnificent
This is my favorite of all the animated Disney films..... and I have reasons... it was the first to be filmed in wide screen.... it was also made with a stereophonic score and it was stylish and artistic, not "cartoon-like"...... this Disney restoration is amazing however, and the film looks like I remember it when I saw it in 1959. The colors are brilliant and clear.... the blue is sky blue and the pink is true rose pink.... and every color has the subtile shades that they should have... obviously reproduced from the exsisting cells and background art in the Disney archives. The additional features are plentiful and fun, and the menus are consistant with the look of the film. There is a game section that uses rock and roll music for an intro and there is a modern interpretation of the main song by a pop group, but these are very minor concessions to modern maids..... on the whole, this is an incredible 2 disc package for anyone who loves the painstaking and time consuming art that these pre-computer animations now use.
There are several short subjects, including a biography of Tchaikovsky, "Four Artists Paint a Tree" and "Grand Canyon" which are all pluses and fun to see and take us back to 1959.
Amazing!!
23 One of the more unique Disney films.
Following in the hard to fill footsteps of Cinderella and Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Sleeping Beauty is totally and completely detached from the way typical Disney fairy tales are told. The movie has more of a storybook feel to it than it's predecessors. The art style is completely original, it resembles a medevil/gothic approach. The characters are wonderful, and the evil fairy Malificent is one of the most creative and evil of all the Disney villains. The music is very good and addictive and it whisks you away to another world. It is a once upon a dream. See it if you love Disney films.
24 Once upon a Dream...
I bought the Disney's Sleeping Beauty on DVD for my daughter's first christmas...but in all honesty I really bought it for myself. I love all of Disney's fairytale adaptations, and this one is one of my favorites, right up there with Cinderella and Beauty and the Beast.
Althought the animation is done by hand and not by the newest digital technology(by computer), it looks a little dated compared to some of the newer animation movies released by Disney. Like other Disney classics released on DVD, they have remastered the film and made the colors vivid. You can also chose what format you want to watch the film in either full or wide screen. Not to mention added lots of bonus materials including some about the making and design of the movie, which should be interesting to adults that have seen this movie during their childhood. Also there are a couple of games included on the DVD which are good if your children are old enough to play on the computer(my daughter is only 6 months so she is not quite ready for those). Another interesting feature found on the DVD is about the music, if it sounds formiliar that is because it was written by composer Peter Tchaikovsky, Disney only added lyrics to the music scores of the "Sleeping Beauty" ballet.
The story is excellent, one for the ages. The only thing that I have caution about is that if you have younger children I would think twice about showing them this movie, speaking from personal exprience, when I first saw this movie at the age of five our six I was very scared when the wicked fairy Maleficent transformed into a fire breathing dragon. I really don't plan on showing my daughter this movie until see gets much older, being only a baby now I don't think will have much interest in it now anyway.
I definitely recommend Sleeping Beauty to your Disney DVD collection.
25 Sleeping
I love this movie. It's one of my favorite earlier Disney films. I love all of the colors and the music. I personally think that this is one of Disney's better Fairy Tale adaptation. The movie just really flowed well with every thing.
26 Disney's Sleeping Beauty
"Sleeping Beauty" is one of the first Disney films I remember watching; I was 3 or 4 I think. We used to rent the video in the late 80s one time after another (it wasn't available for sale back then). But then, I started collecting Disney movies and by the time I was 11, "Sleeping Beauty" was a faded memory, and though very young the last time I saw it, I was so struck by it, that I could remember a few details from it (such as the "Once Upon A Dream" sequence and the dragon fight). Then, in 1995, Disney rereleased it to theatres and one can only imagine how excited I was to watch it again. I can never describe the feeling I had while watching it. Everything just looked and sounded so familiar, as if I never stopped watching it. I eagerly awaited for the January (1996) video release. The tape never left my VCR. I watched the film night and day for a year, seriously. Everything about this film is so magnificent: the animation is stunningly detailed, the music is magical and the characters are highly appealing. To this day, "Sleeping Beauty" remains one of my favorite Disney films ever. It holds childhood memories of mine and the beauty of all that's Disney.
27 My #1 FAVORITE DISNEY MOVIE!
I have always loved this movie and when I heard it was comming out on dvd in November of 2003 I was very excited.This movie is my favorite disney movie because of all of the art,characters,and great music it is a great movie to add to your collection and you and your children will cherish it.My favorite scene is probbably at the end where the brave prince phillip tries to conquer the evil Malificent.I will not tell you what happens at the end but I am sure you Know it has a Happily ever after ending.
28 My #1 Favorite Disney Movie of all Time!
I have alway's loved this movie.It has great art,and this movie is a must see.I bought the vhs version in 1995 and absolutely loved it.When I heard it was comming out on Special Edition DVD in November of 2003 I was really Excited and could not wait to purchase it.My favorite scene is the part where Maleficent turns into the dragon and trys to defeat the brave Prince Phillip.I will not tell what happens at the end just incase you have never seen it but,I am sure you know it has a Fairy tale ending.
29 Restored or recolored?
There is little doubt that this film is one of Disney's all-time greatest animated features. It's had a tremendous impact on our culture, for instance in the way we, for better or worse, imagine feminity and define beauty (Aurora as Barbie?). And Sleeping Beauty has of course also been parodied (as for example recently in Shrek). There can be few quibbles concerning this movie's iconic status, whether one agrees with its politics or not. It's definitely worth seeing and owning.
My query concerns the restoration that's been carried out. Yes, the image is much clearer and it all sounds great, as many of the other reviewers point out. The special features are marvellous too. But has nobody noticed that Aurora's dress, in the famous scene at the end of the film, looks orange instead of pink? In my older copy of the film the color alternates between pink and blue, but in my recently acquired print of the Special Edition Double DVD set the dress most definitely changes to orange. My 7-year old immediately noticed this and was, rightly, puzzled. One doesn't expect such a drastic change in coloration from one print to the next, and I cannot believe that the original print would have shown orange when the dialogue clearly implies pink. And one doesn't expect this in a restored Special Edition DVD.
30 Ment for 4 and under year old girls.
Thios movie is not a good adult movie. Trust me, it's for 4 year old GIRLS. 4 year old guys wuld say it's icky-poo-picky. And then get beat up by the 3-year-old.
31 The Ultimate in Disney Artistry
Finally, the apex of Walt Disney's achievement in animation is delivered on DVD in a breathtaking restoration. Certainly, the much-acclaimed artistic merits of "Sleeping Beauty" come to life here in a form that may actually surpass its original theatrical presentation. But the stunning visuals serve to enhance what is possibly Disney's most accomplished narrative. The subtle character touches and combination of drama, humor, romance and adventure play out in wonderful balance, all leading to an exciting climax that has often been copied in several subsequent Disney films...but never to the same effect. The story takes place within a completely convincing fantasy world, giving a real sense of time and place for the characters - and viewers - to inhabit. Children will never forget the warm and lovely princess, her charmingly realistic young prince, and the greatest villain in Disney animation. Adults will be caught up in a nicely paced story that unfolds with just the right mix of fantasy and magic.
"Sleeping Beauty"'s story and art touched me as a child, and the film continues to amaze and transport me today. The multiple galleries of production and concept art present a fine display of the substantial talent and imagination the went into the making of this elegant and elaborate film. This is truly a one-of-a-kind animated film that may never be surpassed, and this DVD package deserves a place in any collection of film classics, animated or otherwise.
32 I've been waiting for this moment for ages!
I was very young when Sleeping Beauty first came out and I was an addict since then!
I think the drawing style is much better than the new Disney animations. It has a very unique style and as far as I can remember Disney never repeated that technique.
Basically "Sleeping Beauty" is the classical story that we all get to know from bed time stories, there is nothing different about the story. Although it is pretty old, the DVD is very clear and the sounds is very good! I was very pleased with it.
I think Maleficent, the evil witch is Disney's best villain yet [second is Scar from Lion King]. Very unique and not-so-classical-Disney style.
Also the musics are amazing.
A must-have DVD for Disney and real animation fans! Especially if you haven't seen it before, and also for collectors. You will like the nostalgic aura of Sleeping Beauty...
33 An Instant Classic
Looking at it today, one can't realize how could this film possibly flop in its initial release. Back in 1959, it cost a monstrous $6 million to produce and earned back less than that. Its failure almost caused the company a bankruptcy and as a resault, subsequent Disney releases used the cheaper Xerox style and the cut-in-costs immediately showed. Disney films never looked as glamorous or as lavish as they used to, up until "The Little Mermaid" arrived in 1989. Nevertheless, all the hard work put on "Sleeping Beauty" paid off. This film is still as breathtaking as ever, especially from today's point of view. Unlike today, where every animated film is made fully by computer, "Sleeping Beauty" dates back to a time where human hands used to do the whole job. And visually, it's definitely in the same league as today's features. One can't realize the amount of attention to detail (most notably in the forest where Aurora meets Prince Phillip). The music in the movie is by Tchaikovsky, so you might recognize some old tunes you know. Character-wise, Aurora is a pretty passive heroine, whereas her sidekicks, three charmingly sweet fairies, are much more effective in the story. The villainess in the film is the diabolic Melficent. She is up there with Ursula as the two best Disney villainesses ever. The film's highlight is generally thought to be the dragon fight at the end, and for good reason. It's masterfully animated and is an excellent example of how a good climax should be.
"Sleeping Beauty" is a masterpiece which should be enjoyed by everyone.
34 WOW v.2.0
Actually, this is a good movie. I recommend it to EVERYONE OF ALL
AGES!!!
35 WOW
Boy, I have to say as far as adult movies go, this one is fell pretty flat. Although the lead actress was attractive, she just does'nt have the talent to be in the biz. The Prince's acting was just "flacid" throughout the entire movie. The only audience I would think would find this fitting for are kids.
Just kidding. This IS a classic!!
36 Who doesn't love this movie?
This movie is probably my favorite old Disney movie, and it's digitally remastered, which makes it especially great. The colors are spectacular, and the story makes you fall in love with animation all over again.
Sleeping Beauty (in case you didn't know) is a story about Aurora, a princess, who, on the day she was to be given special gifts by her fairy godparents, she was cursed by an especially evil fairy. The curse was that on her 16th birthday, she would prick her finger on a spinning wheel and die. So, she gets taken away by her fairy godmothers and hidden in a small cottage in the forest, not told of her royal heritage. Everything is all fine and dandy until the day of her sixteenth birthday, when she meets a boy in the woods (who just happens to be her betrothed, though she doesn't know it) and her fairy godmothers give her a magical (which they REALLY weren't supposed to do) dress and cake. A spy for the evil fairy sees the magic, then the princess, and tells her, so Aurora actually ends up pricking her finger.
But, everything turns out fine and dandy, and everyone lives happily ever after.
Recommmended for: EVERYONE. Everyone loves this movie (for the most part), even if they won't admit it.
37 Still Looks Great
I vividly remember the release of Sleeping Beauty. I was old enough to go see it myself - just barely. There I was sitting way up front eating my popcorn and all of a sudden this spectacular dragon materialized right before my eyes. Popcorn forgotten, I was hooked. Cartoons never looked the same to me, and I spent the rest of my life inhaling fantasy and science fiction on a quest for the same thrill.
Animation has changed quite a bit in the ensuing years, but even today Sleeping Beauty is a towering achievement. Now I'm more sensitive to the tricks of the art and can see the masterful use of perspective that made the scenes leap out at you. When I first picked up this DVD I half expected to be disappointed, to find it really wasn't so glorious in retrospect. This is hardly the case - this film is just as vibrant and alive as it was in 1959.
The added dimension now is that I can see how Disney's work was a formative influence on animation even today. Artist/Directors like Miyazaki owe much to this film and its predecessor Snow White. And they freely admit it. As a production, Sleeping Beauty created a sense of legitimacy for animation that proved that high quality animation was something well beyond the Saturday morning funnies.
Disney took a great risk when creating this film, pouring a tremendous amount of resources in making it something as perfect as was possible for his time. While the studio reaped the financial benefits, the audience was the real winner, as a whole genre exploded before our eyes. Even now, with anime rapidly becoming a force to be reckoned with, this film stands out for story, art, and music.
The additional features, especially those that retell the making of the film, are excellent as well. All captures in fine detail on this DVD. This is a must see for anyone who still loves a fairy tale.
38 My favorite- long ago, today, always . . .
Between the classic Armitage backdrops and the beautiful animation (it's hard to explain to kids today that Maleficent was drawn BY HAND, not in a computer, a'la Pixar) this ranks among the most intricate animated films ever made.
This film is from an era when feats of animation were displayed without apology- the flames licking the vine that envelopes Sleeping Beauty's castle, for example(and really, the vine itself) are testament to a bygone time when stunning visual effects were all the more stunning for having come from a real hand, a real paintbrush, liquid ink.
The story itself is a departure, in classic Disney style, from the original Sleeping Beauty stories from cross-cultural folklore. Disney implements such characters as the fairies, the bumbling King Hubert, anthropomorphic animals (always) and the greatest villian of all time- Maleficent. These characters mesh with the sheer animation artistry to raise this bedtime story from the context of simple narrative to the epic romantic accomplishment of the type Disney is known for.
While we all, of course, anticipate the happy ending, the wedding, the classic Disney optimism, this one is worth looking at not only as an archetypical fairy tale, but also as an exemplar of mid-century animated art.
39 Okay Film - Poor Extras
This was sneaked out onto release on region 2 disc ages ago in England (minus commentary). Although the film is visually stunning and has some nice set pieces it lacks warmth and, with some small exceptions, has no compelling characters. The extras are as dry as sticks and smack of the pompous. If you want a special edition Disney disc stick to 'The Lion King' or 'Beauty and the Beast'.
40 Animation classic..
This DVD is a "must have" for any animation fans. The Special Edition has the widescreen version as it was originally shown in 1959. This was the first animated movie shot in 70 mm. I couldn't believe how much of a difference it made from having the sides croped off for television.
The 2nd disc has great extras showing the main artist's involvement and the black and white acting for the fight scene.
41 Stunning Remastering
Sleeping Beauty was one of the first Disney animated films I remember my folks taking me to see. As a child during my `dinosaur' phase, I loved watching Maleficent turn into the dragon and fight Phillip. The story, you should know by now of course, young princess whisked away by three fairy `godmothers' to protect her from evil sorceress, raised in the forest unaware of her heritage, meets prince charming unaware he's a prince, eventually finds out they're betrothed to each other as prince fights sorceress. The re-mastering technique employed on this DVD yielded incredible results, the image was actually more vibrant and colorful than originally aired in 1959 and it looks marvelous on today's widescreen HDTVs. I was quite taken with the art, quite unlike anything Disney has done before or since with it's angular geometry and perpendicular themes. Aurora and Maleficent duel for most beautiful Disney female forms to date. The extras on the DVD are quite interesting as well. The original theatrical companion pieces The Grand Canyon was sublime and the snippet of how four artists paint a tree helped glean a bit into the mindset of the brilliant artists on the Sleeping Beauty project. Highly recommended, not just as a child's story, but as an impressive art piece and study of mood and texture.
42 Music
I have a 16 month old son who loves this movie. He is really into the music. When the songs start he dances and really lights up. I have even seen him kiss the TV. Its a great kids movie. It seems like all little kids like the movies with the babys in them. Its a great way to catch there attention right at the begining, and then the way it flows with the music and the farries it realy keeps there attention the hole way throug.
43 My favorite disney dvd so far
This DVD probably has the most special features and options that have been released so far. It has so many picture galleries and extras to keep you and your kids busy for hours. The widescreen adds so much more to the movie than the old versions ever could. Aside from the excellent restorations of colors , Sleeping beauty has come back to life in a way words can't describe. Plus, watching it in spanish or french along with closed captions is another entirely new movie experience. This Disney DVD is my favorite so far!
44 Wonderful film and DVD...
...however, I gave the Sleeping Beauty DVD itself three out of five stars due to no closed-captioned and/or subtitled feature for the entire special features. Cannot understand why the studio is not doing this for us and it is very disappointing.
45 Finally on DVD!!!
I've benn waiting for this to be released on DVD for a while now.My original Vhs is completely worn out.The DVD is definitely not a disappointment!Great picture and sound.And of course,you can't forget the extras...my favorite extra is the Princess Personality game.The little girls out there will love this one!And collectors will appreciate the art galleries and behind the scenes info.This DVD has something for everyone.A perfect gift whether you're 5 or 50 :)
46 Beware! Digital flaw
Everything about this release is wonderful except that it has a manufacture digital flaw. Both our original and replacement had the exact same digital flaw, in the exact same location. Too bad that this dvd was released without getting the bugs out first.
47 like rock on dude, this movie is narley
This movie is spectacular! yeah Walt Disney knew what he was doing when he made this movie! man. Ya know, I almost think that this is the best movie that Walt Disney ever made! but there are a few nit picky things that bother me about this movie, nothing major by all means, but what I am talking about is Phillip, now I think that Philip is alright for who he is but, the thing that I am knawing on is the fact that Phillip doesn't have like a ponytail or a mullet of some kind, like beauty and the beast, another great movie by Walt Disney, but what I like so much about beauty and the beast is that like all the men have Ponytails, that is how the hairstyles were back then, I mean like this movie takes place basically the same time as beauty and the beast, and notice the difference in the hairstyles between the two movies, I mean if there were more guys that had ponytails in this movie, alright all of the guys had ponytails, this would be the movie that I would like most of all by Walt Disney, but just that little detail can change everything, I mean it is sad that only kind Steppen is the only cool dude with the, I don't know rather he has a mullet or a ponytail but either way, I think you know that I am a fan of long hair. Okay I will stop harping on the hairstyle thing, one of my most favorite charectors in this movie is like not in this movie but like 45 seconds but, the servant dude that plays the gutar and gets drunk on Hubert's "drinkage" Man he is rightous, what really makes me laugh is when Hubert toasts to the wedding and king Steppen pushes the bottle away to where it is spilling on the flour and the servant dude puts his gutar under it making sure that King Hubert can't see him and he sits behind the table and falls over while drinking the wine, man I love the sound of that drunk hiccup that he makes as he is falling underneith the table, he rules man!. Now lets talk about my dream girl, yeah thats right the protagonist, Briar Rose, aka Arora, the way I will explain her is a line that comes from the movie con air, specifically from duncan malloys mouth: Sunsets are beautiful, new born babies are beautiful, she, she is spectacular! well it isn't word for word, but for the most part it is, anyway, she is everything I dream of for a girlfriend, spectacular, blonde, kind to everyone, man she is like the ultimate image for my dream girl, every single detail, nothing included nothing excluded, just the way she is in this movie. One more thing that bugs me about this movie is that they have a newer music group play at the end of this movie, what is it's name, oh yeah, no secrets now that isn't really the group that I would have picked for the end of this movie, the group that I would have picked for this movie is Huey Lewis and the news and I would have played Do you Believe in love, or a song by Pete Townshend and the song is called let my love open the door man both of those songs would work out great for this movie but all I can say is thank goodness it wasn't Britany Spears, I am not saying that she is ugly by any means but she is a bad influence, and I don't think that I have to mention what she and madonna did on that stage, I think that everyone knows what happened there, she is just wacked out in my opinion but yeah, anyway, I think that this movie is narley for the most part. I have some advice for those of you who have not seen it yet, it is a great movie and it is worth the time it takes to watch it all the way through, man you won't be sorry!
48 Like rock on dude, this movie is narley!
This movie is spectacular! yeah Walt Disney knew what he was doing when he made this movie! man. Ya know, I almost think that this is the best movie that Walt Disney ever made! but there are a few nit picky things that bother me about this movie, nothing major by all means, but what I am talking about is Phillip, now I think that Philip is alright for who he is but, the thing that I am knawing on is the fact that Phillip doesn't have like a ponytail or a mullet of some kind, like beauty and the beast, another great movie by Walt Disney, but what I like so much about beauty and the beast is that like all the men have Ponytails, that is how the hairstyles were back then, I mean like this movie takes place basically the same time as beauty and the beast, and notice the difference in the hairstyles between the two movies, I mean if there were more guys that had ponytails in this movie, alright all of the guys had ponytails, this would be the movie that I would like most of all by Walt Disney, but just that little detail can change everything, I mean it is sad that only king Steppen is the only cool dude with the, I don't know rather he has a mullet or a ponytail but either way, I think you know that I am a fan of long hair. Okay I will stop harping on the hairstyle thing, one of my most favorite charectors in this movie is like not in this movie but like 45 seconds but, the servant dude that plays the gutar and gets drunk on Hubert's "drinkage" Man he is rightous, what really makes me laugh is when Hubert toasts to the wedding and king Steppen pushes the bottle away to where it is spilling on the flour and the servant dude puts his gutar under it making sure that King Hubert can't see him and he sits behind the table and falls over while drinking the wine, man I love the sound of that drunk hiccup that he makes as he is falling underneith the table, he rules man!. Now lets talk about my dream girl, yeah thats right the protagonist, Briar Rose, aka Arora, the way I will explain her is a line that comes from the movie con air, specifically from duncan malloys mouth: Sunsets are beautiful, new born babies are beautiful, she, she is spectacular! well it isn't word for word, but for the most part it is, anyway, she is everything I dream of for a girlfriend, spectacular, blonde, kind to everyone, man she is like the ultimate image for my dream girl, every single detail, nothing included nothing excluded, just the way she is in this movie. One more thing that bugs me about this movie is that they have a newer music group play at the end of this movie, what is it's name, oh yeah, no secrets now that isn't really the group that I would have picked for the end of this movie, the group that I would have picked for this movie is Huey Lewis and the news and I would have played Do you Believe in love, or a song by Pete Townshend and the song is called Let my Love open the Door, man both of those songs would work out great for this movie but all I can say is thank goodness it wasn't Britany Spears, I am not saying that she is ugly by any means but she is a bad influence, and I don't think that I have to mention what she and madonna did on that stage, I think that everyone knows what happened there, she is just wacked out in my opinion but yeah, anyway, I think that this movie is narley for the most part. I have some advice for those of you who have not seen it yet, it is a great movie and it is worth the time it takes to watch it all the way through, man you won't be sorry!
49 Simply beautiful.
For years, Sleeping Beauty has been my very favorite Disney movie. It features THE most exquisite artwork put into ANY Disney Movie, and some of the most enduring characters. You'll laugh, you'll cry. A perfect addition to my collection, and yours.
50 It's okay for girls
There is nothing bad about this movie, I'm just saying it might be better for girls. My mom has this movie, and we have watched it a couple times as a family, nothing was objectionable, but if you're a boy you should check out "Peter pan" (which is one of my favorites!)or "Aladdin".
51 An underrated, forgotten Disney Masterpiece
In the fifties Disney embarked on a creative and artistic endeavour of unprecedented scale. Adapting the old folk tale of Briar Rose for a more recent generation, Walt Disney was determined to make this his swan song - his crowning achievement. Millions of dollars and more than 5 years was spent creating this lavish work of art.
And the film was successful, to a degree. Although not among the very highest grossing films of its year, it pulled in a respectable amount, and later more than made it's creation cost on video. However, seeing that Sleeping Beauty did not have the success that they were hoping for, Disney decided to not attempt such lavishness again, a tradition which has only been broken with recently.
But what of the film, is it worthwhile? The answer is yes - the timeless setting has created a film that is impenetrable to aging. It retains its humor, and the plot maintains an excellent balance of simplicity combined with challenge and confusion. The characters are all voiced beautifully, and each fit their purpose in the story perfectly. In addition to this, now that the film is on dvd, it can be seen as it was meant to be - in glorious widescreen. When you see the effect the widescreen has on opening up the framing and shaking of the claustrophobic atmosphere the movie had in it's pan and scan format, you'll vow never to go back.
It is worth noting that this is Disney's most humanist work. The movements of the characters are so natural and lifelike, and their motivations so uncluttered and benign, that it is impossible to wish them anything but happiness. The romance between Aurora and Phillip has been derided for being too simplistic, too sappy, too unrealistic, but those who do not seem to understand that this is what works for such simple people. Phillip is the ultimate good guy, while Aurora is the ultimate good girl. When they interact, everything feels natural, everything feels right. There is much to their romance than a simple list of adjectives.
52 Darkly Beautiful - Archetypal Depth - Superb Color Styling
Highly recommended to those who want to see background art at its zenith. Taking one aspect at a time: 1) COLOR: Incredible! The same dark intensity I remember from the 70mm prints. One reviewer said the DVD color blew away the original theatrical print he saw when the film was first released. He may have seen a 35mm print back then, because the original 70mm print I saw in 1959 was about equivalent to this DVD, but, in the theatre, the image on the retinas if all viewers in the 20 or so rows nearest the screen was much bigger -- bigger than is currently possible, while maintaining sharpness, with any home equipment. 70mm in those days was projected on a very large screen with at least some curve, and was meant to simulate the arc of vision. In Sleeping Beauty, the effect seemed like being immersed in a dream-like, ornate, medieval world. That the color in the DVD is equivalent to the 70mm, the first DVD I can say that about, means that the restorers and transferors are to be heartily congratulated! The marvelous color styling of Eyvend Earl comes through in all of its carefully thought out detail. There is a marvelous, rich, often dark look. There is a wider range of colors, and more variegated backgrounds, both drawn and suggested, than usual, by far. The story I heard a few years after the film was released, during a visit to the Disney studio (as a college newspaper writer) was that Disney had asked Earl (and the other background artists) for "A moving Illustration; a medieval tapestry come to life." "But Walt, medieval tapestries had muted colors!" "But Eyvend, ours won't!" Disney, Earl, and the others later decided to go for dark, rich images, and to imitate the fancier and more colorful style of the rubrics. While it would not be appropriate for many other films, this color is the best of the best.
2) SOUND. They toned down the dynamics, and shaved off the deep bass! Try turning the Bass control way up, and crank up the subwoofer, if it has a separate control. If you have seen the film before, ask other viewers to step out of the room for a moment, and go to one of the scenes with thunder, or the climax, and make sure there is enough bass -- then go to another spot and check to see if the quiet and delicate treble music is still clear. The escape from the castle and the events immediately following should be overwhelming, and Tchaikovsky's mad, wild, frenzied string music -- particularly the "Dance Vertigo" part of the Sleeping Beauty Ballet that they used for the thorns catching on fire, and just about the whole climactic sequence (as the prince tries to get to Aroura's castle), should really rage, and shake the floor. It did in the theater in 70mm and 6 channel stereo, and it did at my house, when I got through with it. Manufacturers often slice bass and dynamics in DVDs of films that had spectacular sound, to avoid blowing out the feeble speakers people have in their TV sets. They should either offer special "full dynamics" DVDs for those who are equipped, or just risk it.
3) THE FILM AS A WHOLE : Using Goethe's Three Principles: a) "What was the artist trying to do?" Probably trying to make a more elaborate and beautiful than usual Disney fairy tale film. b) "How well has the artist done that?" Very well indeed, in most ways. Much of the archetypal depth of such tales is intact. There is the nurturing mother (aunt type, in the three good fairies) the incompetent parent (King/Queen/ and the good fairies when befuddled), and the feared/bad mother (you-know-who). Jung would have liked the demonstration of what happens when you try to exclude the bad/feared parent from your consciousness. The Uninvited. More scuttlebutt from the time the film was released: at first, Disney was going to have all the good fairies the same, and mysterious, (this was partly confirmed in the supplementary material on disk 2). This was rumored to be in response to critics who didn't like him giving the Dwarfs in Snow White, and later the Mice in Cinderella, very individual personalities. Based on his many humorous, public comments, if this happened to be true, he might not have admitted paying attention to the critics. When the animators complained that making the fairies the same was "no fun," he decided to go the other way, and make them very individual, and since one of them was to be named Flora anyway, he decided to make her gently bossy, like his own mother, a school teacher, who was named Flora. So Flora in SB is Disney's mother, and Mr. Banks in Mary Poppins is his father (with a little of Walt thrown in by Bill Walsh and Don Da Grady). I would have used a larger orchestra, and not lightened Tchaikovsky's music quite so much (but in the fiery climax the music used is untouched, except for adding a repeat!. They did a marvelous thing by turning the "Blue Bird" into a vocalise for Aurora walking into the forest! c) "Was it worth doing? " Yes. And you will see several younger animators/artists in supplementary materials saying how much it influenced them. Favorite characters: Merriwether and Maleficent, the quintessence of projected evil.
4) SUITABILITY FOR CHILDREN --- not too young, can be scary.
For more information about 70mm, try the excellent widescreenmuseum.com & in70mm.com
53 One of my Favorites
I remember when I would watch this movie a countless number of times when I was younger and now that I am older I appreciate the movie more than ever. It is the last fairytale that Walt Disney helped create and for his last fairytale, it is stunning. The animation is very modern for 1959 and very detailed. The story is wonderful, with the typical Disney ending of good conquering evil and true love winning out. It is a great movie and I highly recommend it.
54 My favorite Disney movie has gotten better!
I have always loved this movie, and having owned it on VHS, I am so pleased with the DVD version! It's crisper, the music is clearer, and the colors are brighter. My husband and I are expecting our first child, and I have been collecting all the Disney DVDs I can so that my child will be able to watch them longer--some of my VHS tapes are warped from hours of use. If you love Disney as much as I do, it is worth the money--plus, there is usually a $5.00 rebate for the DVD if you already own the VHS format.
55 Walt Disney's Finest
"Sleeping Beauty" is truly Walt Disney's finest movie. Disney Studios almost went bankrupt trying to make this film, but Walt believed that it would be a success. When it was released in 1959 audiences embraced this thrilling, romantic, and fun movie. It was second in the overall box office that year. The animation is truly stunning in this movie. One thing that never ceases to amaze me is that the Disney studios always comes up with a fresh new look for every movie that they make, and "Sleeping Beauty" has some of the most impressive animation I have ever seen. I have the seen the movie enough times to be able to look at the tiny details in the animation, and each and every bush and tree has intricate details. This review would not be complete if I did not pay homage to the one that started it all, "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" which is also a stunning accomplishment. "Sleeping Beauty" has a whole extra disc of fun features that are worth the money you spend for this DVD, not to mention you get this amazing movie. I am a college student, and this is still my all-time favorite movie. Don't miss out on this classic that is missing from your collection.
56 The most romantic story of all time!
when i was a kid i saw "sleeping beauty" and i just realized that when i was that age, i thought the young prince was so cute and i would rewind that scene in my 4 disney videos per cassete and practically scratched it. Now, it brings flutters to my heart when i see Phillip as a dying teenager. (he was 4 or something when aurora was born and he must be around 20) The DVD has so much better clarity than the video but i could have done without all the extra doo-doo that took up an entire disc. Like a nasty techno remake of Aurora's "once upon a dream" where horrid teenage girls with the worst attitude ( you know what i am getting at) and color Aurora games!!! i personally, would have liked the meaning and intention Walt had for each scene then all this nonsensical rubbish. But this is definity an upgrade from my VHS -which i will keep for nostalgia-
What i love most about hte story is the way that young prince looks at baby aurora like "yuck!" and then when he is in the bushes with Samson and has this wide grin that makes you smile as well, like " i have found treasure!" look. Then that scene when you realize the peasant boy is the prince and how romantic it all is. THen it is almost like a tragic Romeo and Juliet thing where he leaves just as Aurora is coming to the castle. Then that scene where he asks Samson to wish him luck right before that chilling scene which made me always check a room before entering. When she puts her head on his shoulder, and this is all fine because they had no one and felt they knew each other from their dreams! how he memorized her song and sung it to Hubert. That scene was funny where he says "this is the fourteenth century" and the king asks Samson if this really happened. Aurora is so beautiful and the Prince is undeniably handsome and that scene where Malificent is threatening Phillip with that aurora will not like him because he is old. It is so wonderful when in the end everythng is as it should be and this is not the type of movie that you muddle over with, " if this happened, then maybe..." Sleeping beauty is the kind of movie that makes you believe in destiny, fairies, strength, courage, but the thing that determines all this, it makes you believe in love.
57 Excellent!!!
What a nice restoration job was done when transfering this to DVD. It is sharp and beautiful. The audio is outstanding as well. The film is as vibrant as the outer packaging is and the special features only enhance the value of this wonderful DVD. A true classic and suitable for even the smallest children.
These releases are great and you should collect them all because at some point they won't be there any more unless you want to pay big bucks on e-bay. Things this wonderful never last. Purchase it now. If you've never seen this film, you owe it to yourself and your child to own it.
Amazing...!!!...
58 Couldn't wait! The first movie I saw as a child.
Magnificent! Words cannot describe the beauty!
59 The world of dreams can become true
Describing Princess Aurora's dream coming true as the prince of her dreams rescues her killing the evil, is a job that has no words to describe it. The songs that come in the DVD and Bonus section where they describe how the sleeping beauty was created are marvelous pieces of information that every disney collector should possess. There are very few good romantic novels available at the market to foster children's dreams, and sleeping beauty is one of them.
60 SLEEP NO MORE - ONCE UPON A DREAM, NOW A REALITY!
At a hefty cost of six million dollars and six years in production, Walt Disney?s "Sleeping Beauty" promised to be the most ambitious animated feature ever produced. However, changing public tastes resulted in a majestic glossy-looking effort that, despite its technical innovations, failed to become the blockbuster the studio had hoped for. The story, slightly changed from its Grimm?s fairytale origins, charts the birth of Princess Aurora (vocal by Mary Costa). The young Princess is cursed by the evil Maleficent, a horned sorceress visually realized by animator, Mark Davis, that has to rank among the all time great Disney villainesses. Before her sixteenth birthday, Aurora will prick her finger on the spindle of a spinning wheel and die. But three good fairies believe otherwise. They usher off the baby Aurora into the woods and raise her as their own. But Aurora meets up with her future in a big way when she comes across the brooding Prince Philip (vocal by Bill Shirley). He instantly succumbs to her charms, not realizing that she is the princess he is supposed to marry. But when Maleficent discovers their romance, she is determined to see that tomorrow never comes for the couple. The magnificently staged final show down between Prince Philip and Maleficent is chillingly good entertainment on every level and the story is as fresh and appealing to seniors as it is for the young at heart.
"Sleeping Beauty" was shot in Technirama - a Cinemascope-style 2:35:1 aspect ratio that, in the past, has suffered on 1:33:1 television displays in a cropped off pan and scan image. On disc one of this two disc set we get both the Technirama transfer and a full frame copy ? to satisfy those who have yet to realize that full frame means fifty percent of the image is missing from their television screens. The review herein will concentrate on the widescreen version of the film which, in a word, is beautiful! Colors are rich, vibrant, bold and have been carefully rebalanced to provide a very smooth and crisp looking transfer. Black and contrast levels are fully realized.
A few problems - minor digital noise and a halo effect during portions of the forest sequence that flashes so quickly you almost have to stop and think, "Did I just see that?" The audio, remixed to 5.1 but strident, strangely lacking in bass - I say, strangely because "Sleeping Beauty" was recorded in stereo that, while, of course, should sound dated by today's standards, usually has a strong sonic bass characteristic that is curiously absent here.
Extras too are something of a disappointment. We get the "Once Upon A Dream" featurette - billed as a ?new? documentary on the making of the film. Created for the previously issued laserdisc and VHS copies this featurette is too short - not covering the scope of production. Next, there's the Peter Tchaikovsky Story - a badly acted and largely fictional account of the man who was inspired to write, among other things, the "Sleeping Beauty" ballet. The transfer here is terribly faded, suffers from chips and scratches and digital noise, edge enhancement and shimmering fine details. We also get the "Grand Canyon" featurette that accompanied "Sleeping Beauty" on its original theatrical engagement, but again, as with the Tchaikovsky Story, all the same criteria apply and - this time - the Technirama image HAS NOT BEEN ENHANCED FOR 16:9 TELEVISION DISPLAYS!!!
There's a really, REALLY awful music video, some benign child's play and a few short featurettes that, among other topics, explain how the film was shot, the techniques used in the animation and the restoration process employed for this new DVD.
Over all, I could have done without these studio junkets, especially since none of them were even moderately cleaned up for inclusion into this special edition. Still, for its stunning art of animation and a near pristine anamorphic transfer of the film - once upon a dream no more!
61 Stunning animation for a Disney Princess
When the royal family cibducts birthday festivities for their newborn dauhgter, Aurora, they neglect to invite the evil Maleficent. She in turn curses the young child, that before sunset on her 16th birthday, she will prick her finger on a spinning wheel and perish. To save her from such a dire fate, three good fairies take the young princess into the woods to protect her. What follows after is one of Walt Disney's most beautifully animated films. The story is basic fairy tale stuff: a princess in danger, a charming prince battles the forces of evil to save her, and everyone lives happily ever after.
Two things that set this apart from other Disney films are first, the adaptation of Tchaikovsky's music for the ballet "The Sleeping Beauty," which gives us the beautiful song "Once Upon a Dream." The second is the stunning art work of Eyvind Earle: marvellously detailed landscapes that could almost be tapestries hanging in some centuries-old castle. that alone makes this DVD worth watcing. But, Disney has included both the original widescreen release and the full-screen version from when the movie first came out on VHS. The tons of extras including the making of the film, a Princess Persnoality game, the award-winning short film "Grand Canyon," and much more make this one of the best DVDs to be released in 2003.
62 Undeniable Classic Gets A Flawless Remastering Job!
Before SLEEPING BEAUTY, Disney had previously made two other "Princess" movies. Now, I personally cannot stand SNOW WHITE, believe it or not; the princess is so darned obnoxious, and the prince has no personality whatsoever. Then came CINDERELLA, which was a much better film but still not really great. For one thing, the princess was a very likable character; but once again, the prince was so incredibly lifeless that when they finally lived Happily Ever After, one couldn't care less. Eight or nine years later, Walt Disney delivered SLEEPING BEAUTY, by far the best animated fairy tale so far. Though the princess isn't as intriguing as those of more modern Disney films, Princess Aurora is along the same lines as Cinderella. But the one thing that I found the most groundbreaking about this film (storywise) is the prince; he finally had a personality, maybe even more so than the princess! Thankfully, the trend lasted throughout the rest of Disney's Princess films, but that's not to say that it's the best thing about this film.
Although this film obviously borrows some elements from SNOW WHITE and CINDERELLA, the viewer couldn't possibly care less, thanks to all of the film's strengths. Besides the aforementioned Prince Phillip, there's also the art to consider: in many ways, it is the pinnacle of Disney animation (and that's saying something!) The entire film truly looks like a moving illustration/story book, more so than any film before or since. And the backgrounds seamlessly compliments the characters, and vice versa. Thanks to the ingenuity and style of artist Eyvind Earle (whom I have actually met in person), SLEEPING BEAUTY remains a beautiful work of art.
Another aspect of the movie that I have always loved dearly is the music. Adapted from the Peter Tchaikovsky ballet, its a masterful composition, indeed. For the score's highlight(s), view scenes 26-28 . . . . . . . . absolutely riveting. That one part where Prince Phillip leaps across the bridge on his noble steed, and Maleficent rises to her tower to deliver an onslaught of black magic, sends shivers down my spine every time. A perfect blend of animation and music if ever there was.
And now, this all-new 2-disc DVD enhances the film further than ever before, with one of the greatest transfers of all time. The picture really is, quite frankly, flawless. All except for one single shot of the castle tower. Aside from that, utter perfection. The Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound brings the music to extraordinary life like never before.
The extras are where the set begins to waver a bit. For starters, the Making-Of "documentary", is only 15 friggin' minutes long!!!!!!!! I HATE how Disney does this. But no matter how short it is, it delivers interesting tidbits. But don't give up hope too quickly, as I did. There's a lot more spread out across this disc; it's more like they broke up the full-length making-of into seperate sections here and there, and if you put it all together, it's quite good. But the best extra for me was the original 1950's featurette "Four Artists Paint One Tree". It's a fascinating look at different artists and their diverse, unique styles. Also fascinating is to see how seamlessly all four styles were molded into the art for SLEEPING BEAUTY.
Conclusion: With the releases of this and THE LION KING, Disney has changed their DVD style: focus more on the actual film, and not wholly on the extras (like they did with BEAUTY AND THE BEAST). SLEEPING BEAUTY is a classic film to be cherished as long as the art of the motion picture remains, and this Special Edition DVD is to be treasured just as long.
63 The Forgotten Disney Classic...
Sad to say, but "Sleeping Beauty" is quite possibly the single most overlooked animated work of Walt Disney. While hard to believe, the 1959 film is rarely seen in it's proper perspective in the Disney universe.
Despite the film's strong following, it became the "Dark Disney" in later years. The dragon was seemingly too scary for the littler kids (Maleficent even uses the "H" word!), and the relative lack of funny animals in "Sleeping Beauty" was another drawback for the average Disney veiwer. As a result the film has never seemed to gain the notoriety and lasting love the other Disney's have always enjoyed. This lack of prominence makes this one of the biggest treats in the Disney vault, because it's almost a rediscovered classic from Disney's heyday.
All that being said, I have to admit that I've personally never seen the movie before I bought the DVD the other day! Oh, I've seen a few clips of the dragon and whatnot over the years, but never before have I had a chance to actually screen the complete film. This was a bit of good fortune, because now I got to screen the film in a pristine widescreen presentation. Lucky me!
The "Dark Disney" is brilliant, of course, and one wishes the studio had made a few more sojourns into the darker realm of fairy tales. Because we have been conditioned to expect kid-friendly funny animals from Disney, it's so easy to forget that Walt often wanted to push the envelope of education and art, and enlighten the audience while entertaining. With "Sleeping Beauty", he did it in spades.
I liked the way the Disney staff was able to extend the classic tale and at the same time retain most of the familiar elements we all know by heart (the forest of thorns, for example). Beyond that, the stylized artwork is all at once both nostalgic and timeless. The art has definite leanings toward more commercial/graphic work (a previous reviewer was spot-on mentioning 1950's greeting cards design). Best of all, despite the computer process used to clean up dust and correct color, there is no computer fakery in the animation itself, the crutch upon which the entertainment industry now depends for support in all things. Computer geeks should look to this film and see what REAL animators were once capable of!
What struck me most about the film (besides the stunning artwork), was just how much the film owed to "Fantasia" in both imagery and classical musical scoring. The images of the dancing minions in Maleficent's lair will certainly call to mind "A Night on Bald Mountain", and the music is in keeping with Walt's love of the classical musical sound. "Once Upon a Dream" is easily in the top five of all Disney songs, and the classical score brings to mind the famous Tchaikovsky ballet based on the fairy tale.
The fairy godmothers are lots of fun, as are the kings, and the Prince's horse. To be honest, Prince William is not the most heroic Prince ever. Let's face it; the three fairy godmothers do most of the work, while the Prince takes the credit. Regardless, he does lend a bit more Princely derring-do to the Prince role than Snow White's Prince did.
Maleficent is truly scary, too! The imagery of the witch is at times provocative as well as frightening.
Lots of extras on Disc 2, including an excellent "The Making Of" documentary, and two featurettes of great note; "Four Artists Paint One Tree" shows four of Disney's premire animators in an excellent demonstration of artistic interpretations and individual styles, and a long featurette about Tchaikovsky called "The Peter Tchaikovsky Story". This secon feature is not exactly historically accurate, but it is interesting. The uncredited Paul Frees, "The Man of a Thousand Voices," narrates.
We also have "Grand Canyon," the 1959 Academy Award winner for short subject. The widescreen film follows the music of "The Grand Canyon Suite" (a la "Fantasia"), showing us a depiction of life in the Grand Canyon. Beautiful photography spoiled only by the brief appearance of cuddly cougar kittens and bunny rabbits.
You'll also find a surprising feature, a "Widescreen-to-Full screen Comparison." The feature has a simple introduction, and then shows the two formats side-by-side during the "Once Upon a Dream" sequence. Although simplistic, this offers the viewer the opportunity to have the two formats clearly and concisely explained and demonstrated. While it seems like an afterthought as far as features go, it's a nice inclusion that once and for all spells out the difference between Widescreen (letterbox), and Full Screen (pan and scan). For the first Widescreen animated feature film, "Sleeping Beauty," I think you'll agree that Widescreen is the only way to go!
There are also some kid-friendly games on Disc 2, and a horrid modernized version of "Once Upon a Dream" in a music video (AVOID!).
This is one DVD set that no true fan of animation should be without. Anime fans should also take note, for modern anime has nothing on this rare cinematic acheivement from 1959.
64 A Feast For The Senses
Disneys' " Sleeping Beauty" was one of the first movies I ever saw in the theater and it remains one my personal favorite. This stunning DVD showcases the films strengths- its visual beauty, the gorgeous music and the splendor of its design. The story is a bit weak but the battle with the dragon alone is worth the price of this DVD- but there is so much interesting extras that both young and old will find this a must have for the collection.
65 A Charming Fairytale Come True
This is my favorite Disney movie of all time! Introduced to it at the young age of six, I'm almost positive I've seen this movie a thousand times, give or take a few. I really think all of my letters to Disney is the reason we can enjoy it in the comfort of our home today! Take a small child with a creative imagination, a love for things remotely noble, add this movie, and you'll be watching it everyday of your life. And that's just with the VHS. This DVD is so comprehensive, so minutely detailed, so restored. It features games, the widescreen and fullframe versions and lots of other exciting things that will quench even the most avid lover's of the film thirst and appetite. Believe me I know. A truly remarkable story and the one true Disney Masterpiece, Sleeping Beauty is sure to become a favorite in anyone's household. This DVD is "a charming fairytale come true."
66 No sleeping during this beauty!
The THX, digitally enhanced version of Disney's Sleeping Beauty is here. Brilliant colors & sound! Maleficent steals the show with her wicked powers. Soundtrack from Tchaivosky's ballet "Sleeping Beauty"
67 YOU MUST GET THIS MOVIE!
This film is absolutely without a doubt one of Disney's best. I remember seeing Sleeping Beauty in theaters when it was re-released in some theaters back in 1995. Since then I had been looking for a VHS copy of the movie. Well I got a DVD player and was REALLY happy when I found out that Sleeping Beauty was coming out on DVD. The restoration process is beautiful. This movie is a classic. Seeing this movie again has brought back memories of my childhood when I would watch this movie several times a day.
68 An artistic triumph, a dramatic dud.
There is one truly great scene in "Sleeping Beauty" -- a scene, in fact, unique in all of Disney feature animation. Maleficent taunts the chained Prince Philip with the fear of growing old and ugly, while the sleeping Aurora remains young and beautiful, by showing him what will occur when she sets him free -- a hundred years from now. He sees himself as a decrepit old man with long white hair and beard, astride a horse destined for the glue factory.
"A wondrous future lies before you. You -- the destined hero of a charming fairy tale come true. Behold -- King Stephan's castle. And in yonder topmost tower, dreaming of her true love, the Princess Aurora... She is indeed most wondrous fair -- gold of sunshine in her hair -- lips that shame the red, red rose -- in ageless sleep she finds repose. The years roll by -- but a hundred years, to a steadfast heart, are but a day. And now, the gates of the dungeon part, and our prince is free to go his way. Off he rides, on his noble stead, a valiant figure, straight and tall, to wake his love, with love's first kiss, and prove that [extreme sarcasm] true love conquers all." [mean-spirited laughter]
Now, I happen to _like_ bearded geezers, and (for me) Philip (who, when upset or angry, looks a lot like Harrison Ford) is far more attractive in his old age. But Maleficent "shoves in the knife" by suggesting to Philip that, though he will not have changed inwardly, Aurora will nevertheless find him a repulsive old man. So much for "love."
This sequence grabs the romantic notions of physical attraction, love at first sight, and "happily ever after" by their figurative necks and rubs their faces in pig manure. It's marvelously cruel, even ugly, adding a nasty moment to a film that would benefit from a darker tone.
As generally disappointing a movie as "Sleeping Beauty" is, there _are_ some good things about it. Eleanor Audley's Maleficent is superb. Her malice is subtle -- she rants and raves only when driven to extremes. Audley brings a world-weariness to Maleficent only hinted at in the script, but which immensely deepens the character. Disney animated features have always had terrific character acting, but Audley's performance is primus inter pares. It's no wonder that Maleficent has never lost her place as everyone's favorite Disney villainess.
The animation is also superb. Human characters move naturally and fluidly, with believable weight -- the scene in which Philip and Aurora dance by the lake is remarkable. Philip's horse (note that "Philip" comes from Greek words meaning "horse lover") moves much like a real horse, with little caricature. Note also how fabrics (especially the fairies' and Maleficent's costumes) swirl and bounce with the proper inertia.
Eyvind Earle's magnificent production design needs no more praise than has already been lavished on it. It's pretty much the only reason "Sleeping Beauty" is of any lasting interest.
The frame-by-frame digital restoration was produced in the mid-'90s for a VHS and laserdisk release. It looks nothing short of incredible on DVD. I saw "Sleeping Beauty" during its initial run, and the DVD simply blows away the theatrical presentation. It'll knock your eyes out. My only complaint is that saturated colors - fabrics, a bird's plumage -- are simply too vivid for the otherwise subdued color palette.
The supplemental material is lavish, including two complete Disneyland shows, one a G-rated biography of Tchaikovsky, and the other about how four Disney artists "interpret" a tree. The artwork gallery is, however, disappointingly skimpy.
The commentary (running and otherwise) is terrific. It actually acknowledges and discusses the film's shortcomings, a first for Disney home video. The funniest moment occurs when the ever-optimistic Mary Costa opines that Disney and Tchaikovsky would have enjoyed working together. Richard Schickel is the only Disney biographer to accuse Uncle Walt of being homophobic, but I really doubt Walter and Peter would have found much of a basis for a relationship (even professional), if only because Tchaikovsky was a moody and profoundly unhappy person.
I'm sorry I can't give "Sleeping Beauty" more than a three-star ("average") rating. The incredible artwork and outstanding animation cannot hide the fact there is no compelling story. It is for good reason that Aurora has long been known as "the plastic princess."
69 A Beautiful Classic
Sleeping Beauty stands as Disney's most visually stunning creation-filmed in 70mm and with designs by Eyvind Earle that combined modern design with the gothic stylings of the 14th Century. Paired with a score adapted from Tchaikovsky's Sleeping Beauty ballet and excellent vocal perfomances, the film is fondly remembered by many.
The film itself draws more from the Brothers Grimm version of the tale as the Perrault version that inspired Tchaikovsky, but the score is perfectly appropriate. Maleficent, perhaps the greatest of the Disney villains, has crashed the party celebrating the birth of Princess Aurora, and curses the child to die on her 16th birthday, when she will prick her finger on a spinning wheel. The curse is partially negated by one of the three fairies who had come to bless the princess, and Aurora will instead fall into a deathless slumber, only to be awoken by true love's first kiss. The fairies decide to raise Aurora in secrecy until her 16th birthday, but Maleficent finds her the day before her 16th birthday, and manages to set the curse in motion, leaving Aurora's betrothed, Prince Philip, to awaken her.
The DVD is presented in widescreen and fullscreen formats, although watching the film in anything less than widescreen is a travesty. The film has been spectacularly restored, from the same process that was used to excellently restore Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. The special features are expansive, and are, quite frankly, akin to the Platinum Editions that Snow White and Beauty and the Beast have received the past two years (and that The Lion King is geting next month). Therefore, this 2-disc set is simply not to be missed.
70 Spectular restoration; illogical story
Once again Disney, aka the Evil Empire, shows why they cannot be beat when it comes to dvds. They do it right each time. Sleeping Beauty leaps off the screen with vivid color and sharp lines. Kiss your VHS version goodbye. And having a choice between the widescreen and fullscreen versions is great. The purist in me goes for widescreen whilst my wife and daughter choose full.
That said, this is Disney's lamest Princess movie. Aurora is a cipher, there and yet not there, no personality at all. Flora, Fauna and Merryweather are the true leads of this story. More should've been done with Maleficent; wasted potential here.
Now for the lack of logic.
First if "before the sunsets on her 16th birthday she shall prick her finger on the spindle of a spinning wheel and die," could not the fairies have waited til the day AFTER to bring Aurora home? But then, no sleeping, I guess.
Second, Maleficent's goons have been searching for 16 years for Aurora, but as a baby. Now, wouldn't Maleficent, in those 16 years, at least ask once how things are going, instead of waiting all that time and then asking? This is a problem of poor business management. A good villainess would have appointed a head henchman and have him report to her on a daily or weekly basis.
Third, the 3 fairies have no clue how to bake a cake or make a dress for Aurora's 16th birthday. Well, who was cooking for all those years? And didn't they even attempt to bake a birthday cake the prior 15 times? And who made Aurora's outfit in which she goes gathering berries and meets Prince Philip? Sears?
Fourth, why doesn't Prince Philip speak anymore after telling King Hubert he's going to marry Aurora? Listen carefully; he does not speak for the rest of the movie after this point... come to think of it, neither does Aurora!
Fifth, when Philip races to the castle with the fairies in tow he has to hack away at all the brambles to get through. Why doesn't Flora or Fauna or Merryweather just make them disappear? If they can turn spears into flowers, brambles disappearing should be cake (which they don't know how to bake. Maybe that's the problem...).
Call me nit-picky but these things just leap out at me... why did I buy the dvd then? Because it was for my wife's birthday and this is her favorite movie in the whole world. Also, "Aurora" is our daughter's middle name... and I love my wife and daughter very much!
71 Children's classic with eye candy for the adults
It took Disney's animators six years to create "Sleeping Beauty" and the effort really shows in this magnificent rendering of the German fairy tale "Dornroeschen" or "The Little Briar Rose." The fairy tale is variously transcribed from European folktales by Perrault and The Bros. Grimm. (My favorite part in the Grimm rendering is how the arrival of the long-desired child is announced to the Queen-- she gets the news from a talking crab that jumps out of her bathwater. Now, what kind of crab would that be?)
Disney recreates the old tale with new characters--giving the good and evil fairies much more of a role--in fact, they steal the show. The good fairies are Flora, Fauna and Merrywether, three chubby, bell-shaped sprites, who were inspired by housewives the artists observed in grocery stores. And Maleficent, the stylish, Goth baddy who is tall, slim and has a bit of a smoker's rasp in her deliciously evil voice (played by Eleanor Audley.)
The fairies, good or evil, have so much to do, in fact, that Princess Aurora only gets to sing a bit (by an exceptional operatic soprano Mary Costa) and Prince Philip is equally reticent. The Prince gets a shocker early on in the tale--he has somehow been betrothed to Aurora since early childhood, but this interesting fact wasn't communicated to him until just before the wedding is to go off.) He is understandably miffed, gee, a guy should have SOME say in the matter, even if he doesn't get to pop the question, and after a set-to with Mom and Dad, he never says another word.
The real star here is the production, with the stylish Scandinavian Sixties art by Ervind Earle. Earle looked to folk art, Medieval art and tapestries for inspiration and mixed it with a fine modern sensibility to make a stunning set. The animation owes a lot to Fantasia, which is especially noticible in the automated mops (Night on Bald Mountain) and Maleficent's domain. The artists wanted to avoid a repeat of "Snow White" and they certainly achieved a completely different look and feel. And taking the best of "Fantasia" was a good idea--as "Fantasia" itself was way ahead of its time and underappreciated until much later than its release in the Forties.
As to quality of the DVD, there was a glitch just as Philip is delivering the wakeup kiss to Aurora, the film jumps as if a few frames were cut. A glitch on this particular DVD? Strange that this happens at a critical moment. The extras are well worth looking at, especially the interview with Earle and getting a look at the exquisite detail of the background artwork, giving any parent or grandparent a reason to enjoy the film for their own reasons while it runs for the umpteenth time on the DVD player.
72 A Restored Disney Classic with Bonuses
This movie is one of the great classics of animation, especially for Disney. The DVD version is significantly improved compared to the previous VHS tape. The picture and sound were both greatly enhanced for this release. Furthermore, both widescreen and full screen versions are available in this package.
As with Disney's other classics, some liberties were taken with the original story of Sleeping Beauty. Disney took the classic story and made it unique and special. In some ways the story is less violent and dark than the original fairy tale. In other ways, such as the portrayal of Maleficent, the movie is dark and forbidding. While the movie is generally a children's movie, Maleficent's dragon and her general demeanor can be somewhat frightening for some in the pre-school and younger set.
Aurora was the first love for many a young boy, and was also the model for the aspirations of millions of girls. The romantic love story of Princess Aurora and Prince Phillip enchanted would-be princesses everywhere, and in some cases became the measure by which future spouses were measured (and many of us struggled to meet the ideal).
Of course, the romantic story and the evil of Maleficent were balanced by the comedy of the animal characters and the three bumbling, good-hearted fairy godmothers. While their goodness may appear a bit too vanilla and sweet for some, it is perfect for those longing for the innocence of their youth.
While the movie is the most important part of the DVD, this two CD set contains a phenomenal number of extras. I found the audio commentary by various key individuals to be absolutely fascinating. I planned to listen to portions of the commentary in preparation for my review, and instead found myself listening to the entire thing because it was so incredibly fascinating. Mary Costa (Princess Aurora) and others provide their perspective on the creation of the movie, as well as personal memories of Walt Disney and his influence on the film. The audio commentary by itself is worth replacing your VHS tape, particularly for aficionados of Disney movies.
In addition to the audio commentary are numerous, emphasize numerous, other bonus features. Some I felt were less than worthwhile, others, such as the shorts "Grand Canyon" and "The Peter Tchaikovsky Story," were excellent bonuses. The number of bonuses on this two disc set was so large that there is a navigational overview included in the DVD that categorizes 38 features found on the second disc.
With the movie and the wealth of bonuses, this movie is a must-buy for those who have yet to have "Sleeping Beauty." For those who have the VHS, the bonus material is nearly worth the cost of the DVD. Certainly those who are collectors of Disney memorabilia and historians of Disney will find the DVD to be a concise compendium of some of the best information available regarding this film. I highly recommend this DVD!
73 BEAUTIFUL, THRILLING AND ROMANTIC
Disney's 1959 groundbreaking, animated epic production SLEEPING BEAUTY Special Edition, the first animated feature drawn and photographed in a widescreen format (70mm Technirama), finally arrives on DVD in a glorious, fully-restored two-disc edition with superb, re-mixed surround sound and a wealth of extras. It's the 14th Century and evil queen Malificent curses Aurora, the king's infant daughter, taking away her happily-ever-after. Or so it would seem.
The brilliant interpretation of Tchaikovsky's ballet score and the distinctive medieval-inspired art of Eyvind Earle's detailed, pastel-hued, vertical-horizontal compositions, make this timeless romance -- based on a folk tale that arose after the Dark Ages (and a metaphor for the times?) -- a must-have for the digital family library and a masterpiece of animators' art. Hold on to your dreams. True love conquers all. Available for a limited time.
74 Nice
I must confess that Sleeping Beauty was never my favorite Disney movie. Sleeping Beauty was always a bit too vanilla and the three good fairies were annoying. The villain wasn't having much fun. Still, it's a pretty good movie if you don't compare it to better Disney cartoons and there are some great scenes such as the dragon fighting scene. Also the scene with Sleeping Beauty singing to the animals has been parodied so much (particularly in the title of Grease) that it's rather sweet to see it done without irony.
It's a cute movie, but it's not as classic as other Disney movies.
This special edition has two discs - one with the movie and the other with the extras (movie trailers, games, old Disney shows). The extras are a treat to any fan of this movie. The animation one is rather fun. The Tchaikovski short is cool even if it outright lies about Tchaikovski being in love with a woman (ok, so it's a 1950s children's feature made to sell a cartoon so I suppose including mentions of his homosexuality and suicide would not meet with Walt's approval). The trailers are pretty standard. The 1950s one is what you expect out of 1950s trailer and the 1995 one is what you expect out of a modern trailer.
The "Once Upon a Dream" remix is just bizarre. Techno beats and skantily clad teenagers singing Disney song as a hiphop song with the cartoon gives the viewer the feeling of being in a dance club where they use the animations - and Sleeping Beauty seems just a bit lustful in the remix process. I didn't think that she woke up and they spent few hours locked away with each other before going downstairs until that video.
The rest of the extras range from cool to awful. The game is very dull.
So it's a good DVD. Buy it if you're a Disneyphile.
75 Once Upon a Dream...
This new 2-disc dvd of Disney's 1959 masterpiece is simply beautiful. "Sleeping Beauty" was a turning point for Disney when animators sought a more sophisticated look for their animation and presented it in widescreen. The abundance of extra features for this dvd show how this look was achieved with a history of behind the scenes which includes samples, restoration comparisons and interviews from many of the animators. Also included are games ("Rescue Aurora" and "Princess Personality Game"), music videos, art projects, art galleries, trailers, scrapbooks, publicity posters, etc. Also included: a 25 minute short film "Grand Canyon", and two other shorts - "The Peter Tchaikovsky Story", and "Four Artists Paint One Tree".
The commentary is especially noteworthy and informative. It features a narration by Disney historian Jeff Kurtti with the participation of Eyvind Earle (art director), Mary Costa (voice of Aurora), Ollie Johnston (supervising animator), Marc Davis (supervising animator), Frank Armitage (background painter), Mike Gabriel (Disney artist) and Michael Giaimo (Disney artist).
The dvd has the option of viewing it in widescreen mode (enhanced for 16x9 televisions) or full screen. I must add that viewing it in full screen will be a travesty - the full glory of this artistic accomplishment is best seen in widescreen!
76 Long Live the Princess Aurora!
The good faeries at Disney and Amazon.com provided me with an advance copy of the "Sleeping Beauty" Special Edition DVD, and I couldn't be more pleased.
The movie is (obviously) a classic, and the animation holds up well in the face of the modern, stylized approach to traditional animation. True, there aren't any computer-generated images in "Sleeping Beauty," but it remains one of the best-crafted cartoons of all time.
I was very impressed with the sound and picture quality, and the choice to watch the movie widescreen or full-screen was a nice feature. It's the best presentation of "Sleeping Beauty" that I've ever seen.
The second disk is packed with in-depth information about the making of the movie, and the restoration of the film for this DVD release. It's great stuff for afficionados, but it's even interesting for casual fans.
Even if you already own a VHS copy of Disney's "Sleeping Beauty," you should absolutely pick up the Special Edition DVD. Click "add to cart" right now!
- cousinpaco
77 5 stars for video/audio restoration
I'm sure this won't be a popular opinion in this forum, but I tell it like I see it. After the overwhelming feedback from my first version of this review, I thought it might be good to clarify a few viewpoints to maybe help others accept an opinion different from their own.
As with all of the Disney special edition DVD releases, the quality spoils you for the multitude of other older films put out on DVD from other labels without the care and expertise of video and audio restoration in which Disney obviously is a master. Yet another wonderful job was done on this film. If you are already a fan of Sleeping Beauty I'm sure this package will knock your socks off. Buy it now, (and don't worry about the rest of this review.) I just still don't get why anyone would be a particular fan of this one over the far superior and memorable Snow White, Dumbo, Toy Story 1 & 2, Roger Rabbit, etc, etc.
I know I saw this as a kid on the BIGGGG screen in the first few years after it came out. I didn't like it then, and it was so forgetable I didn't remember hearing any of the music before, and only remembered seeing some of the scenes. Probably slept through it 40 years ago. I still find it to be slow paced, plodding and basically boring compared to those other Disney classics. I watched this DVD with my wife (who also didn't care much for it as a kid, or in this cleaned up version) and our 3 young kids (2 boys & 1 girl). The kids were completely disinterested through out the film. They had a great time when we showed them Snow White and Dumbo. The multitude of extras included didn't interest us much either, it's nice they are there if you are really into this movie. One of the main complaints I have with this movie (besides plodding) over the other older Disney classics is actually with the animation. Sure, it's nice to be in widescreen, but all those wonderfully detailed backgrounds don't go with the style of the characters put on top. Most of the characters are quite simply drawn, fairly flat and plain. They don't blend well with their surroundings. Snow White and Dumbo don't have that problem.
If you already specifically love this movie, for what ever reason, you'll love the quality of this DVD set. If you are after the truely great unforgettable Disney classic about a beautiful girl in a deep sleep, woken up by the kiss of a handsome prince--well that would be Snow White. If you are just looking for a wonderfully FUN family movie, you are on the wrong page again--that would be the Toy Stories and Who Framed Roger Rabbit! Or venture beyond Disney, and treat your whole family to the incredible DVD of Yellow Submarine.
Unless you just have to own THIS movie, do yourself and your kids a favor and buy any of the other truely great and entertaining Disney classics instead. Because it's not a shoe-in your kids will like this.
78 DVD Review
We'll all agree that the movie is quite good, with an excellent score, beautiful animation, and a loveably dark story. The question is whether this DVD treatment of the film is adequate.
My answer: sort of.
This is essentially the same DVD package that Disney has put together for its other recent animated releases (Snow White, Beauty and the Beast). There are a lot of pictures in the same too cute gallery set up, the same type of making of information that you got in the previous DVDs, the same inane games that I can't imagine even young kids enjoy, and the obligatory short film (excellent, but I would have preferred to see some originality injected into the package).
Everything on the second disc comes off sounding like an advertisement for Disney that they've tricked you into paying for.
However, the picture quality on the DVD is astounding, as is the sound, so at the end of the day, the first disc provides exactly what any reasonable movie lover is looking for. You're buying a great movie in its full glory, but you're also buying an extensive advertisment for Disney. Make your own choice, but, overall, I'd recommend the purchase.
79 Still Amazing
This is a great DVD! It had been such a long time since I had seen this movie that it was almost like seeing it for the first time. The animation in this movie is awesome, classic Disney, very detailed and engaging, in a clean and simple style.
The remastering is perfect, they didn't try to remake the movie. They preserved the movie and enhanced the image so that it looks more seamless, almost real.
This is a great story, one that people of all ages can enjoy. I highly recommend this DVD, no collection will be complete without it.
80 "Good over Evil ~ Sleeping Beauty by Disney"
The final of the Disney fairy tale series is no sleeper in "Sleeping Beauty", a classic tale with all the trimmings ~ including one of the best loved scores ever to grace the big screen. Must make mention the music was nominated for Best Musical Score in 1959, the Tchaikovsky composition blending pure adaptation through brilliant arrangements. The films running time is 75 minutes, but all the extras of bonus features and technical specifications is pure gravy.
Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound gives the viewer options of Widescreen and Fullscreen ~ "RESCUE AURORA" set-top adventure game ~ 3-D virtual galleries ~ "ONCE UPON A DREAM" is The making of Sleeping Beauty" ~ Story Reels ~ Princess personality game ~ Sleeping Beauty ink and paint game ~ Academy award- winning "GRAND CANYON" short film ~ The brilliant music ~ The design ~ The restoration ~ Four artists paint one tree ~ "THE PETER TCHAIKOVSKY STORY" ~ Creating the backgrounds ~ DVD-ROM links ~ THX-certified ~ and much, much more!
This is a must have for "Disney-classic-collectors" that will do your ever growing collection proud. This is someting you'll cherish and watch over and over again through the years. Disney has done it again ~ it just keeps getting better with every DVD release from the Disney people...gotta love it!
Total: 2-CD-Set ~ Walt Disney Home Video 29755 ~ (9/09/2003)
81 Timeless tale of wonder comes to DVD!
Hats off to Disney for a superb release of "Sleeping Beauty" on DVD. Gloriously magnificent colors, fully restored picture and sound, including the Academy Award nominated score, make this edition a must have. Whether you have children of your own, grandchildren, nieces, nephews or are just a kid at heart this magical tale continues to delight the young and old alike. Included are a bevy of extras, a real step-up for Disney, commentaries, featurettes and both full-screen and 70mm wide-screen (enhanced for wide-screen TV's) editions included in this deluxe two disc set. Especially poignant for us older folks are the memories of those who worked on this film now preserved for all to enjoy. Don't miss it. Thanks, cal
82 Pure Enchantment in the Newly Released DVD Restoration
Keyed to the style of Disney artist Ervind Earle, SLEEPING BEAUTY has long been renowned as one of Walt Disney Studio's most artistically beautiful films--and now with this meticulous restoration Earle's vision comes to the home market in a DVD package that is sure to win praise from every fan of hand-drawn animation.
The story, of course, is the time-honored fairy tale. Princess Aurora is cursed at birth by the evil Maleficent, who declares that on her sixteenth birthday the princess shall prick her finger on a spinning wheel's spindle and die--but fortunately the powers of good are able to mute the effect of the curse; the princess shall not die, but shall instead fall into a deep sleep from which she can be only awakened by love's first kiss.
Earle's vision for the story is drawn from a host of sources, some of them more immediately apparent than others. The result is a curious mixture of flat illustration and meticulous detail that imparts both a modernist edge and the quality of an ancient illuminated manuscript--a truly remarkable concept that gives the film a visual style completely unlike any other among the Disney classics. The DVD offers the option of viewing the film in either its original widescreen ratio or pan-and-scan format--but why any one would elect pan-and-scan is completely beyond me; if ever there was a film that made good and full use of the widescreen ratio, this is it, and you'll want to see every inch of Earle's remarkable work.
Earle's style aside, SLEEPING BEAUTY has been influenced by a number of films that are worth noting. In terms of plot detail, it has been very clearly influenced by Disney's earlier SNOW WHITE, and the designs for the evil Maleficent and her "goons" are very clearly influenced by FANTASIA's "Night on Bald Mountain" sequence--and to magnificent effect; Maleficent is easily among the darkest characters ever created for film. Interestingly, many visual set-ups also seem to have been influenced by MGM's THE WIZARD OF OZ, most notably in the scenes in which the three good fairies rescue Prince Philip from Maleficent's nightmarish castle.
Unlike some animated films, the voices are beautifully matched to the characters, with Mary Costa as Princess Aurora and Eleanor Audley (who also performed the Wicked Stepmother in Disney's CINDERELLA) as Maleficent standouts among the cast. The score, which is based on the brilliant Tchaikovsky ballet score, is also extremely well handled and includes the memorable "Once Upon a Dream."
All of this has been lovingly, shining restored, and quite frankly even if you saw the film in its first release the result here will no doubt surpass it. There is not a blip, a glitch, or a sound-surge to be found. And as is usual with Disney "limited release" DVD editions, the package includes a host of extras, some designed to appeal to the younger set (there are two simple games, neither of which require a CD-ROM) for children and a host of interviews and documentaries. Fortunately, many of the people involved in SLEEPING BEAUTY are still with us--including Ervind Earle and Mary Costa--and their various contributions make the bonus package truly superior.
All of this said, it should be noted that like FANTASIA, SLEEPING BEAUTY is more likely to appeal to adults who can fully appreciate the visual charms of the film than to children, who may find the film's tendency to linger over visuals a bit too much for a limited attention span. But this is indeed a Disney masterpiece, and it belongs in your collection.
--GFT (Amazon.com Reviewer)--
83 A bit of Disney magic on DVD
Courtesy of Amazon.com, I received Sleeping Beauty. At first, I was skeptical to watch. But I decided I would give it a go. What I found was a decent children's film. For kids, it will allow them to watch a fairy tale and dream of being a princess or prince. Parents will be pleased that there are no sex scenes, profanity, or any other common elements in films and TV today. For those reasons, parent and child alike will be charmed by Sleeping Beauty. Buy the magic today!
84 One Of The Best Disney Movies!
I have always been a fan of Disney movies and Sleeping Beauty was a fairy Tale that I always liked my mother and father to read to me from my fairy tale book so naurally I owned this movie on video and I liked it, unfortunately I only got to watch my tape once because I let my cousin and her daughter borrow my tape and they ruined it so I will probably one day get the new widescreen DVD.
If you like Disney movies should definitely watch Sleeping Beauty .
85 ASTOUNDING VISUAL BEAUTY AND AN EQUALLY OUTSTANDING SCORE!!
Following in the traditional style of Walt's masterpieces Snow White and Cinderella, this Disney classic is true to the Charles Perraut version of the French fairy tale. Over six years in the making and entailing a budget of over 6 million dollars, 'The Sleeping Beauty' became one of the top-grossing movies of 1959, second only to Ben Hur.
Sleeping Beauty was the first animated motion picture to be filmed in the 75 mm widescreen format, unlike its predecessors Cinderella, Pinocchio and Snow White. The animation, which is extremely luscious and poignant, is also portrayed in finer details. The Renaissance influenced backgrounds and castles and the vibrant splendor of the forests are a beauty to be marveled at. Equally outstanding is the brilliant adaptation of the Peter Tchaikovsky score, which is richly melodious and simply surrounds you throughout the movie. The Oscar nominated score truly adds to the visual stunningness of Sleeping Beauty.
The characters are wonderfully created with an in-depth look into each of their respective personalities. Princess Aurora is the deity of beauty and feminine coyness embedded in a romantic heart. Prince Phillip is handsome, brave, noble and passionate and possesses every virtue of an ideal hero. Maleficent is a unique villain, her cruelty and wickedness sometimes a little too scary for younger viewers. The three good fairies; Flora, Fauna and Merryweather, are each created with remarkable liveliness. Flora is the self-appointed leader of the trio; Fauna of a soft-hearted, peace-loving nature; and Merryweather her impatient, practical-minded self. King Stefan and Hubert and the prince's horse, Samson add a lot of humor to the tale.
The vocal talents comprise of Mary Costa as Aurora, whose solo classical numbers are a pleasure to hear. Eleanor Audley, who had brought to life Cinderella's cruel stepmother with stunning chillness, was asked by Walt Disney himself to portray the role of Maleficent. Bill Shirley is excellent as the speaking and singing voice of Phillip and Verna Felton voices Flora with warmth and spasm.
Overall, a visual and musical masterpiece which is coming to a 2 Disc special edition DVD on September 7, 2003 in the US; and has already been released in a 2 Disc collector's set in Europe the April of this year. I own the European one, and must say that 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer is breath-taking. The European Disc also provides a fascinating DTS track; which although not available for the US release, is compensated there by an additional 1.33:1 fullscreen presentation of the movie and a few trailers (but take it from me, the visual beauty of this movie can only be appreciated in the widescreen format). The bonus features on Disc two offer an in-depth look at the film itself and how it was made. Also included are vast virtual galleries, a set-top game, some live-action references and lots of other interesting aspects. So enjoy this classic masterpiece from Disney in all its glory. I simply adore this movie and shall always cherish it with me.
86 The Best Disney Animated Feature Ever!
The story is a classic by every meaning of the word. Musically its based on the ballet Sleeping Beauty and uses all the music from it. It is done so well, nothing compares to it! Plus, all of it was hand drawn, no computer animation used here! If it weren't for this movie, movies like Beauty and The Beast and The Little Mermaid wouldn't exist!
Sleeping Beauty was a first in regards to it being stylized and it was the first animated feature done in Letterbox. Anything else before it was done in Standard Format (that means in a square shape). They actually had to draw "sets" so that the characters could move from spot to spot like in a "real" movie.
The fairies are a scream! Very funny stuff goin on with them. And talk about a great Disney Bad Guy; Maleficent is the best and first Villainess. She is all evil and she rocks!
87 Delightful!
This is a Disney classic sure to please all! This is the story of a princess, Aurora, who is guarded by 3 fairies from an evil witch who has cast a spell on her. The spell - to prick her finger on a sewing needle by sundown on her 16th birthday and fall into a long sleep - gives the King & Queen reason to send their daughter away with 3 fairies to raise her and keep her safe until after her 16th birthday. Aurora is unaware she is a princess, and that she has been promised to a prince. She falls in love with a boy she meets in the woods one day - and is later saddened to learn of her true identity.
I don't want to give it all away - so I'll stop there! It is a delightful movie that my 4 & 5 yr old girls request to watch often. The end has a bit of scare for too young of eyes - but not too scary and short lived. I recommend you add this to your Disney library - if you haven't already!
1smileycat :-)
88 A "Beauty" of a DVD
Sleeping Beauty has been a classic story for centuries and now it's special edidtion release on DVD means more people can see this tale the way it was meant to be told and although it's a great story with brillient animation and an excellent plot it doesn't quite match up to some Disney classics like The Lion King or Beauty and the Beast. Sorry folks but this tale ain't gettin' a high vote fae me.
89 Superb Edition of a Disney Classic
Disney took a while, but they have finally embraced the DVD format. As with everything else, when they do it, they do it right and big!
When Disney first stuck their foot in the DVD waters they did it slowly, offering movies without major extras and at a price well above their competition. With a stable of classics in their coffers I wrote some scathing reviews and comments on various web sites. Disney finally got it through their heads that DVD has broken through to become the standard format for the new millenium.
Several other Disney Disks have gotten this deluxe treatment. Their collaborations with Pixar; Toy Story One and Two, A Bugs Life, Monsters Inc were among the first. Tarzan, Atlantis, Beauty and the Beast as well as Dumbo and a variety of lesser films have editions chock full of extras as well. It was fitting that Snow White was released as a Double Disk set last year and they have followed that up with one of my faves, Sleeping Beauty.
The film has been remastered all around. Crisp new sound and picture wrapped up with a bevy of extras that will make any cinemafile drool. Along with the standard documentaries and commentaries this edition has something I wish had been packaged with every disk released to date; A widescreen to pan and scan comparison. Finally I can show my friends and family why widescreen is preferable to 'full screen'. (You reading this Blockbuster video??)
Getting off the soapbox now...
I pre-ordered mine. Make sure you don't let this one slip away for another generation.
90 A Memorable Movie
This movie has got to be one of the best Disney Classics! Aside from Beauty and the Beast and The Little Mermaid, Sleeping Beauty is my favorite Disney movie I have ever seen! It's a great movie for children to watch, and an even better one for the adults who remember when it came out in theatres!
